Mark Benton

Mark Benton (born 16 November 1965) is an English actor and television presenter known for his roles as Eddie in ''Early Doors'', Howard in '' Northern Lights'' and Martin Pond in '' Barbara''. Benton has also starred in the BBC One school-based drama series '' Waterloo Road'' as mathematics teacher Daniel "Chalky" Chalk from 2011 to 2014. In 2013, Benton took part in ''Strictly Come Dancing'', and in 2015 he hosted the daytime game show ''The Edge''.

Since 2018, Benton has played the leading role of Frank Hathaway in '' Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators'' on BBC1.

Early life

Benton was born in Guisborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England, and attended Sarah Metcalfe Comprehensive School and, later, Stockton Billingham Technical College. Some of Benton's early acting experience came at Middlesbrough Youth Theatre with performances in plays such as ''Atmos Fear'' and ''Twist''.

Career

Benton has a recurring role as Father McBride in the James Nesbitt series '' Murphy's Law'' and has starred with Vic and Bob in the series ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' (remake), '' Catterick'', and ''Monkey Trousers''. In 1999, he played Mickey-O in "The Wedding", the last episode of series 5 of ''Ballykissangel''. He also appeared as an earthly representative of the devil in the 2003 ITV drama '' The Second Coming'' and the 2005 ITV drama ''Planespotting''. From 1999 to 2003 Benton played Martin Pond in sitcom ''Barbara''. He has also starred in the BBC Three comedy '' I'm with Stupid'' and in the ''Doctor Who'' episode "Rose" as conspiracy theorist Clive. In late 2008, Benton starred in the ITV drama ''Britannia High'' and from 2009 to 2011 co-starred as Max de Lacey in ''Scoop''. Benton also co-starred in the ''Roman Mysteries'' episode "The Slave Girl from Jerusalem".

Film roles include Ricky in Mike Leigh's ''Career Girls'' (1997), Phil in the 2001 cult British independent film ''Mr In-Between'', and Vic in the British comedy ''Three and Out'' (2008). Benton featured in all three of ''The Booze Cruise'' episodes, with Martin Clunes and Brian Murphy, among others. In 1996 he appeared in Catherine’s Cookson ''The Girl''.

Benton played the role of the bank manager in a string of eight television commercials for the Nationwide Building Society, directed by Armando Iannucci, shown from 2004 to 2010.

In April 2008, Benton appeared as Jess Yates in the BBC Four drama ''Hughie Green, Most Sincerely''.

Benton did the voiceover for the programme '' Street Doctor'' on BBC One.

Other roles have included Connor in ''Afterlife'' (2005), Dad in ''The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'' (2009), '' Hustle'' (2010), and Farmer Finch in the BBC's '' Land Girls''.

Benton joined the cast of BBC drama ''Waterloo Road'' in its seventh series as Daniel 'Chalky' Chalk, a maths teacher, until 6 March 2013. He returned for an episode in series 9.

In 2011, Benton appeared in ''The Railway Children'' at Waterloo Station in London as Mr Perks.

On BBC Radio 4, Benton starred as the optimistic title character Harvey Easter in ''Mr Blue Sky'', written by Andrew Collins and broadcast in May and June 2011. A second series was due for May 2012. Benton has also played Fred the butcher in the televised series of episodes by Catherine Cookson.

In 2012, Benton appeared in the one-off special ''Panto!'' as Francis, the Director of the play. In July 2012, it was announced that Benton would star as Edna Turnblad in the 2013 UK tour of ''Hairspray the Musical'', starting in February 2013 and finishing in September 2013.

In 2015, Benton appeared as Police Constable Walt Everett in the BBC daytime series ''Father Brown'', episode 3.12 "The Standing Stones". He also appeared as Les in the "La Couchette", the first episode of the second series of anthology series ''Inside No. 9''. In 2015, Benton presented the BBC One daytime game show ''The Edge'' for its first series, being replaced by Gabby Logan.

In 2016, UK progressive rock band Gandalf's Fist announced that Benton will voice several characters on their album "The Clockwork Fable"

On the 21 August 2016, Benton played Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Mendelssohn) in the BBC prom 48. Benton appeared as a bartender in the December 2016 Christmas Special of British Sitcom '' Outnumbered''.

In 2017, he played Dennis Feldman in the ITV drama, ''The Halcyon''.

As of February 2018, Benton is currently starring as Frank Hathaway, alongside actress Jo Joyner in the new BBC daytime comedy drama ''Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators''.
Benton played the role of Eddie Rowbotham in episode 2 of the 20th season of ''Midsomer Murders'' ("Death of the Small Coppers").

''Strictly Come Dancing''

In September 2013, Benton became one of the contestants in the eleventh series of the BBC One show ''Strictly Come Dancing'', where he was partnered with world dancing champion Iveta Lukosiute. The couple left the show on week 10 after losing the public vote.John Ferguson (12 September 2013
"Hairspray star Mark Benton rehearses with partner Iveta ahead of Strictly Come Dancing "
''Daily Record''. Retrieved 2013-09-12. Mark Benton has been in the most consecutive dance-offs in Strictly history with the number of 4 weeks in a row. He got eliminated on the 4th dance-off.

Filmography

Film

Television

Personal life

Benton has been married to Sarah Gardner since 2002 and has three children. He is a supporter of Middlesbrough F.C. and has featured in the club's official website advertising campaign to encourage other fans to renew their season tickets.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Benton, Mark
1965 births
Living people
English male film actors
English male television actors
People from Guisborough
Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors